Rail-joint



(No Model.)

AJB'ONZANOQ RAIL JOINT.

YPatented Feb.9, 1897.

{FIGQL R PETERS omwomuma. WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPHUS BONZANO, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,943, dated February 9, 1897. Application filed December 2, 1896. Serial No. 614,197. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPHUS BONZANO, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct an improved rail-joint which will act as a truss-bridge piece between the ties to support the ends of the rails. The joint-plates rest upon the ties and are secured to the rails in the manner common to the ordinary fish-plates.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of my improved rail-joint. Fig. 2 is a plan View. Fig. 3 is an end View showing the rail in section. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4: 4., Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view on the line 5 5, Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a lower chord b.

sectional View showing the method of bending the blank.

r A A are the abutting rails either of a steam or street railway type. The joint is formed, as usual, at a point between the ties C C.

B B are the plates of the form clearly shown in the drawings, consisting of the upper chord Z) and the lower chord b. At each end of each plate are extendedfeet b and webmembers I) connect the feet with-the The upper chord b is in the form of a fish-plate fitting snugly between the heads and base-flanges of the rails and conforms to the shape of the base-flange, as shown, and in this upper chord are the holes for the orclinarybolts D. The lower chord depends from the inclined section of the upper chord, preferably in a vertical line, and the metal of the plateis of a sufficient strength to withstandthe strains.

The webs b materially strengthen the plate, as theyprevent the lower chord b moving laterally by the action of the wheels traversing the track and also hold the feet rigidly, tending to prevent the rail from tipping when subjected to side strains.

It will be seen that the shape of the lower chord is such that it will have the greatest amount of strength with the least amount of material, which is an essential feature in railjoints.

The inclined webs, with the lower chord, form a channel construction, as shown in Fig. 5, and they so tie the feet, lower chord, and upper chord together that I am enabled to use much less material in the construction of the joint than heretofore used in joints of this yp I preferably roll the plates in the manner shown in Fig. 6, in which the portion forming the lower chord and feet is at an angle to the portion forming the main body of the upper chord, and I bend the center of this portion down preferably on a line with the main body of the upper chord, while the ends are bent up to form the feet, and the metal between the feet and the lower chord forms the diagonal webs The joint-plate being preferably made of steel, it can be readily bent to the shape illustrated, and in some instances the blank may be rolled with the twosections at right angles to each other, in which case the portion forming the lower chord will have to be bent to about an angle of ninety degrees, and I therefore prefer to roll the blank in the form shown in full lines in Fig. 6.

I claim as my invention- 1. The within-described j oint-plate for railroad-rails, said plate having an upper chord adapted tobe secured to the webs of the rails, a lower chord adapted to project downwardly beyond the base-flange of the rails, and feet adapted to extend outwardlybeyond the baseflanges on each side of the lower chord and webs connecting the feet to the lower chord, substantially as described.

2. The within-described j oint-plate for railroad-rails, said plate having vertical upper and lower chords, the said upper chord adapted to be secured to the rails, the lower chord extending below the base-flange of the rails, feet adapted to extend outwardly beyond the base-flanges of the 'rails and diagonal webs connecting the feet to the lower chord, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the abutting rails, ajoint-plate having upper and lower chords arranged at each side of'the said rails, the upper chord of each plate fitting between the head and base flanges of the rail and secured name to this specification in the presence of thereto in the manner common to fish-joints, two subscribing witnesses. feet proj eotin g outwardly from the said plates is T T in the same plane as the base of the rails and ADOLPHUS LOB 5 webs connecting the feet to the lower chord, \Vitnesses:

substantially as described. WILL. A. BARR, In testimony whereof I have signed my JOS. H. KLEIN. 

